Chapter Summaries

Su Ran entered [Crouching Tiger Slope (Easy)] with the shield bearer and two spearmen, where they were ambushed by a Lv.2 Fierce Tiger. After Su Ran struck the tiger with an [Energy Missile] and used a [Berserk] scroll on the shield bearer, the group gained the upper hand and drove their spears into the beast.

• Su Ran paid two silver coins toward the group's fee, and the four entered [Crouching Tiger Slope (Easy)] with temporary resource-gathering permits.
• A Lv.2 Fierce Tiger ambushed the party, and the shield bearer blocked its charge while the two spearmen wounded its sides.
• Su Ran hit the tiger's nose with an [Energy Missile], disrupting its attack on the spearmen.
• Su Ran used a [Berserk] scroll on the shield bearer, who struck the tiger with his shield and knocked it off balance.
• The two spearmen thrust into the tiger's throat and abdomen, drawing a spray of blood.

Su Ran led his party through [Crouching Tiger Slope], where they killed three Lv.2 tigers using coordinated tactics. After earning only 8 experience points and receiving their dungeon-clear rewards, Su Ran realized he needed to challenge stronger enemies to keep leveling efficiently.

• Su Ran and his teammates killed their first tiger using the Shield Guard's [Berserk], Su Ran's [Energy Missile], and the Spearmen's finishing attacks.
• The party fought two more tigers as Su Ran refined his spellcasting, but their stamina, mana, and equipment wore down.
• Su Ran agreed to retreat when the Shield Guard and the Spearmen said they could not safely continue.
• The party returned safely from [Crouching Tiger Slope], received 8 experience points, and each gained a wooden treasure chest.
• Su Ran parted ways with his teammates and decided to pursue higher-level dungeons or monsters to advance faster.

Su Ran researched rare drops from Crouching Tiger Slope, then used his treasure chest’s second opening to obtain and equip the Tiger Might Headband. After selling his tiger materials for 25 silver coins, he planned to look for a guild to join.

• Su Ran read a forum guide describing rare drops from Crouching Tiger Slope, including Tiger Bone Wine and the crowd-control item Tiger Might Headband.
• Su Ran opened his chest normally and received a silver coin and a Fine Hardwood Club.
• Su Ran focused on the chest’s second opening and obtained the Rare Tiger Might Headband.
• Su Ran equipped the headband, gained its attack bonus and Tiger Might Fear Spell, and assessed his strength as potentially comparable to an ordinarily equipped Lv.5 professional.
• Su Ran sold his tiger hides, bones, meat, and organs for 25 silver coins, then planned to find a suitable guild.

After earning money from a resource dungeon, Su Ran rejected small guilds whose binding contracts threatened his freedom and decided to focus on strengthening himself. He found the Rock Training Center and learned its prices for practicing spells, including [Energy Missile].

• Su Ran collected his share of the [Crouching Tiger Slope (easy)] haul and searched the Inner Ring District for a small guild or fixed party.
• Su Ran reviewed several small guilds’ magical contracts and rejected their restrictive terms and risks.
• Su Ran concluded that guild membership was not worthwhile for him yet and considered elite pickup parties or cautiously attempting harder dungeons.
• Su Ran chose to improve his skills and sought a safe place to train [Energy Missile].
• Su Ran visited the Rock Training Center, where a receptionist explained the spell range’s hourly rate, monthly pass, and extra charges for advanced features.

Su Ran spent more than six hours practicing [Energy Missile] in a training room, improving his casting speed, control, and accuracy. The next morning, Shield Guard told him an emergency conscription order had sent him and Spearman back to Linhai Town after otherworldly creatures breached its defenses, preventing their planned return to [Crouching Tiger Slope].

• Su Ran bought a monthly pass to the basic spell-training range and used a practice room to refine [Energy Missile].
• Su Ran practiced 67 casts, raising his average hit rate to 89.7 percent and lowering his average casting time to 0.9 seconds.
• Su Ran returned to his rented room, checked his personal terminal, and went to sleep.
• Su Ran planned to contact Shield Guard about revisiting [Crouching Tiger Slope (Easy)], but Shield Guard messaged that he and Spearman had to return to Linhai Town under an emergency conscription order.

Su Ran sought a new party at Pug Plaza after Shield Guard could no longer team up with him, and applied to join a group entering the Abandoned Watchtower. The team invited him to meet for an inspection, where its members reacted to his impressive equipment.

• Su Ran accepted that he had lost his regular teammate and decided to look for a new group instead of farming Crouching Tiger Slope alone.
• At Pug Plaza, Su Ran found a recruitment post for an Abandoned Watchtower speedrun team seeking a magic damage dealer.
• Su Ran applied to the team, listing his spells and crowd-control skill, and Iron Shield told him to meet beneath the old oak.
• Su Ran met Iron Shield, the Bladedancer, the Priest, and the Rogue, who examined his extensive collection of fine and rare gear.

Su Ran joined Iron Shield's party after Priest Xiaoya discovered his Spirit was at least 16, and the group entered the [Abandoned Watchtower (Normal)]. The party began fighting its first enemies, four [Decayed Sentry Undead].

• Su Ran introduced himself as a Lv.3 solo Mage and demonstrated his spells and crowd-control effect.
• Priest Xiaoya used [Detect Aura] and found that Su Ran had at least 16 Spirit, astonishing Iron Shield and the others.
• Iron Shield welcomed Su Ran as the party's main ranged damage dealer and outlined their plan to clear the [Abandoned Watchtower (Normal)].
• The five-person party entered the watchtower, and Iron Shield assigned each member a combat role.
• The party encountered four [Decayed Sentry Undead]; Iron Shield deflected two attacks while the Bladedancer struck a marked target.

Su Ran and his party cleared the Abandoned Watchtower (Normal) without serious injuries, earning experience and treasure chests. After returning to his room, Su Ran prepared to open his chest and reviewed the guide’s drop-rate information.

• Su Ran supported the party through the watchtower’s first floor with precise spells, while his teammates fought and disarmed traps.
• On the second floor, Su Ran used repeated Energy Missiles to suppress the teleporting Shadow Soulstealers as Iron Shield drew enemy attacks and the others struck them down.
• The party defeated the remaining guardians, received 32 experience points, and distributed dungeon rewards and five silver treasure chests.
• Su Ran stored his chest, exchanged contact information with the party, and returned to his rented room to recover.
• Su Ran took out his unopened chest and consulted the guide’s list of possible drops before opening it.

Su Ran opened a silver chest twice, gaining ten silver coins, a longsword to sell, and a mage’s bracer that strengthened his spellcasting. He then planned to test whether [Berserk] could enhance his Skeleton Warriors and began five days of intensive training to improve [Energy Missile] and learn the spell.

• Su Ran opened the chest and received five silver coins and a fine Quenched Longsword, which he set aside to sell.
• Su Ran opened the chest again and obtained five more silver coins and an Arcane Focus Bracer, which increased his Spirit and improved his arcane spellcasting.
• Su Ran read that [Berserk] might affect summoned creatures and considered testing it on his Skeleton Warriors, while noting the spell could cause deterioration.
• Su Ran bought study materials and resolved to raise [Energy Missile] to at least Lv.3 and gain a basic grasp of [Berserk].
• Su Ran spent five days training in the Rock Training Center, practicing spells and replenishing his mana when it ran out.

After five days of training, Su Ran advanced [Energy Missile] to Lv.3 and [Berserk] to Lv.2, then decided to test his improved skills by challenging [Crouching Tiger Slope (Easy)] alone. At the dungeon, he summoned two Skeleton Warriors and successfully used his stronger [Berserk] on them, though it consumed more control and shortened their remaining duration.

• Su Ran repeatedly practiced [Energy Missile] and [Berserk], improving his casting speed, accuracy, missile control, and command over summoned creatures.
• On the fifth day, [Energy Missile] advanced to Lv.3 and [Berserk] advanced to Lv.2.
• After resting for a full day and night, Su Ran prepared to enter [Crouching Tiger Slope (Easy)] alone and test his abilities in combat.
• Su Ran found that the dungeon’s resource-gathering permit fee had been abolished because the prices of its basic materials had fallen.
• Inside the dungeon, Su Ran summoned two Lv.2 Skeleton Warriors and cast [Berserk] on them, boosting their combat power while increasing his mental strain and hastening their depletion.

Su Ran tested a tactic of using Berserk Skeleton Warriors to hold enemies while he attacked with precise Energy Missiles, then cleared Crouching Tiger Slope and opened its treasure chest. He obtained the rare Tiger Bone Wine and prepared to drink it to increase his strength and constitution.

• Su Ran used two Berserk Skeleton Warriors to distract and restrain a Crouching Slope Tiger while he killed it with three Energy Missiles.
• Su Ran repeated the tactic against two more tigers, met the dungeon’s clear conditions, and received 18 experience points and a wooden treasure chest.
• Su Ran opened the chest once and found ten copper coins and a Tiger Fang Dagger (Fine).
• Su Ran opened the chest a second time and found rare Tiger Bone Wine that could permanently increase strength and constitution by one each.
• Su Ran broke the wine jar’s seal and prepared to drink the potent wine, which made his qi and blood churn as its aroma reached him.

Su Ran drank the [Tiger Bone Wine] and permanently increased his strength and constitution, complementing the gains from the [Tear of Blood]. He saw rumors that another solo runner had sold the wine for 3.8 million Credits, but remained focused on becoming stronger rather than retiring.

• Su Ran endured the [Tiger Bone Wine]'s violent effects and used [Meditation] and the [Tiger Might Headband] to guide its blood and qi through his body.
• After the effects subsided, Su Ran's Strength rose from 7 to 8 and his Constitution rose from 8 to 9.
• Su Ran checked the Awakened forums and found a popular post claiming that a lucky runner had sold [Tiger Bone Wine] for 3.8 million Credits.
• Su Ran saw urgent black-market offers for [Tiger Bone Wine] and anticipated that more Awakened would return to [Crouching Tiger Slope (easy)] hoping to find it.
• Su Ran considered the fortune he could have made but rejected the idea of retiring, deciding that wealth without strength was dangerous.

Su Ran returned to [Crouching Tiger Slope] and used his talent to obtain a second bottle of [Tiger Bone Wine]. He traded it at the Grey Rat Merchant Association for a [Mithril Staff] that greatly enhanced his arcane magic, leaving with a significant boost to his combat power.

• Su Ran re-entered [Crouching Tiger Slope (Easy)], cleared it with his skeletons and Berserk, and obtained a treasure chest.
• Su Ran opened the chest a second time and found another bottle of [Tiger Bone Wine].
• Su Ran brought the wine to the Grey Rat Merchant Association and asked to trade it for a staff suited to a Lv.4 to Lv.6 Mage.
• The old man showed Su Ran three staffs, and Su Ran chose the [Mithril Staff] for its arcane bonuses and [Arcane Resonance] effect.
• Su Ran traded the [Tiger Bone Wine] for the [Mithril Staff] and left the shop with his combat power increased.

Su Ran worried about Shield Guard and the others after they went silent following their return to Linhai Town, where abnormal creatures were causing a serious crisis. He applied to join the Iron Cross Guild’s temporary mission force, hoping to help and learn what had happened to his former teammates.

• Su Ran saw that Shield Guard, Spearman, and the others had been offline for more than a week and remembered how Shield Guard’s team had once given him a chance.
• Su Ran considered going to Linhai Town but doubted that his current strength was enough to face the danger around the Misty Sea.
• Su Ran found emergency recruitment notices from the Iron Cross Guild, other guilds, and the Guard Hall for the Linhai Town operation.
• Su Ran decided to apply to the Iron Cross Guild, recognizing that he met its level, combat, equipment, and conduct requirements.
• Su Ran submitted an application with selected equipment and skill details and scheduled a screening and interview for the next day.

Su Ran passed the Iron Cross Guild’s recruitment tests and joined Rex’s squad as a temporary Mage. After practicing basic teamwork, the squad left for the forward camp outside Linhai Town.

• Su Ran impressed the Iron Cross Guild’s examiners with his spellcasting, equipment, and mental fortitude.
• A squad leader recruited Su Ran as a temporary member and assigned him to Rex’s five-person squad, which was heading to the forward camp near Linhai Town.
• Su Ran met Rex, Alina, Karl, and Xiaoguang, then practiced formations, communication, and coordinated attacks with them.
• Rex ordered the squad to pack up, and they boarded a guild transport vehicle bound for the outskirts of the city.

Rex's squad reached the forward outpost and learned that Linhai Town had been overrun by a murloc horde. They moved to attack twelve Deep-Dweller Murlocs on the tidal flats, and Rex launched the ambush as Su Ran prepared to use crowd control.

• Rex identified the fish monsters along the road as Deep-Dweller Murlocs and noted that earlier teams had already fought them.
• At the outpost, a clerk reported that Linhai Town had fallen and assigned Rex's squad to clear a group of murlocs near the coast.
• Alina scouted the target area and confirmed twelve murlocs, including two suspected Lv.5 elites, scavenging among the rocks and pools.
• Rex gave the squad its attack orders, directing Xiaoguang to shield the front line, Alina and Karl to target an elite, and Su Ran to control four murlocs.
• Rex charged into the murlocs, drawing their attention as the squad began its ambush.

Su Ran and Rex’s party defeated a group of Fishmen using coordinated attacks, then returned to the forward camp and turned in their mission. Su Ran asked a clerk where the professionals evacuated from Linhai Town were, hoping to find his Shield Guard and Spearman friends.

• Rex blocked the Fishmen’s charge while Su Ran used Tiger Might Fear Spell to frighten four attackers, giving Alina and Karl an opening to strike.
• Su Ran, Rex, Alina, Karl, and Xiaoguang worked together to kill the Fishmen and collect materials from their bodies.
• Rex’s party followed orders and withdrew to the forward camp rather than approach the ongoing battle between the Lv.10 Tidecaller and the Guard Hall party.
• Su Ran and his teammates reported their mission at the command post and received daily pay and guild contribution points.
• Su Ran asked the registration clerk where the evacuees from Linhai Town were and whether there was a survivor list, explaining that he was looking for a Shield Guard and a Spearman.

After learning that the Shield Guard and Spearman had died defending Linhai Town, Su Ran resolved to avenge his former teammates. Over the next three days, he and Rex’s squad fought six battles against increasingly dangerous Fishmen, while Su Ran improved his combat skills.

• The Document Officer told Su Ran that the Shield Guard and Spearman were presumed to have fallen during the Fishmen’s attack on Linhai Town.
• Su Ran remembered how the two had accepted him as a teammate and resolved to make the Fishmen pay for their deaths.
• Su Ran rejoined Rex’s squad, and over the next three days they fought six battles around Linhai Town against Deep-Dweller Murlocs and more dangerous variants.
• Su Ran grew more skilled with Energy Missile Lv.3, using multiple missiles for covering fire, and used the Tiger Might Headband to disrupt enemy formations and spellcasters.

After three days of dangerous missions, Su Ran used his Iron Cross Guild contribution points to exchange for two spell scrolls. He left the exchange station to study Mage Armor first, hoping to improve his protection.

• Su Ran fought alongside his squad for three days, helping clear monster gathering points, strengthen defensive lines, and harass a murloc nest while suffering several minor injuries.
• Su Ran's accumulated contribution points earned him access to the Iron Cross Guild's exchange station.
• Su Ran chose to exchange 140 contribution points for [Arcane Explosion] and [Mage Armor].
• Su Ran went to a secluded practice area and began learning [Mage Armor] from its scroll.

Su Ran learned [Mage Armor] and [Arcane Explosion] before Rex’s squad received orders to join a cleanup mission in a stabilized Otherworldly Rift. The twenty-five-person force entered the rift and began moving toward assigned resource points, while Su Ran hoped the run would be as easy as promised.

• Su Ran mastered [Mage Armor] and [Arcane Explosion], then practiced both spells until he could control them reliably.
• Rex announced that his squad would support a cleanup mission in a stabilized Otherworldly Rift, where Silver Chests were common.
• Su Ran prepared for the mission, and the Iron Cross Guild assembled a twenty-five-person mixed-unit detachment at the rift entrance.
• The temporary commander led the detachment into the rift and ordered everyone to clear assigned areas without entering unexplored territory.
• Su Ran entered with Rex’s squad and saw the rift’s strange landscape and the other Awakened advancing toward their assigned resource points.